1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer networks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for implementing a sleep proxy for services on a network.
2. Related Art
In recent years, a large number of devices, such as printers, have been brought to the marketplace bearing various logos indicating that the device meets some sort of energy saving standard. At the same time, an increasing number of these devices are being attached to computer networks to allow workgroups to utilize their services. In order for these devices to be able to perform their services on the network, they need to be able to respond to requests on the network. However, many of these devices enter a power-saving mode when they have not been used for a specified amount of time. In order to restore the device to a normal operating mode, a packet can be sent to the device that contains a specific bit sequence that will “wake up” the device. This packet is commonly referred to as a “magic packet” or “wakeup packet” and the technology as a whole is referred to as “wake-on-LAN.”
Power-saving modes can become a problem because the device typically will not respond to a request when it is in power-saving mode, and clients typically do not know the bit sequence of the magic packet that will cause the device to turn on. Hence, if the device is in a power-saving mode, it will not answer a request for a service provided by the device on the network, and therefore will appear offline to clients on the network.
In many cases, the user must manually walk over to the device and press a button to wake it up, or they simply may not be able to use the device at all. Moreover, a user may not even know of the existence or availability of a device if it is in power-saving mode. When devices are in power-saving mode, they do not broadcast their services on the network, and therefore may not show up in a list of available services. This is especially true if the device has been in power-saving mode for an extended period of time.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for allowing the device to enter into a power-saving mode while still maintaining visibility and availability on the network.